A Day in the Life of… Craig Moore

So, the last few months have been crazy. 

I somehow managed to get myself ‘stuck’ in Cape Town during the pandemic and I must say… it’s been nothing short of epic! I mean, I don’t want to rub it in, but it has been one of those rare opportunities when life gives you lemons… 

So how does my average day look? 

I wake up around sunrise. I don’t set an alarm because that’s kinda ‘pre-covid’ but I normally have to get up to pee. I like being up early and not having to rush so the morning shuffle to the bathroom wakes me up slow. Luckily, Cape Town has been two hours ahead of London, so I have some time in the morning to do me. I’ve realised how vital making time for yourself really is. If you can carve out an hour or two every morning that is unapologetically yours, it can make taking on the rest of the day that bit easier. The time difference has really worked out great. 

If the surf is good, I grab my board and head out to Noordhoek or Misty Cliffs to catch a few waves. Surfing has always been a spiritual experience for me and I love just being out in the water, away from the sounds of the city and bustle of general work life. It’s part meditation, part riding waves. I try to do both with every surf: chill and thrill. 

If the waves are small, I go for a swim. I’ve really got into cold water swimming and the benefits are immense. I’ve not suddenly turned into Wim Hof, but have just got a newfound love for cold water and an icy shot of warmth to kickstart your day! It’s a strange feeling when you overcome the coldness and almost feel the warmth set in, while out in the chilly water. It becomes kind of addictive. Either way, the ocean is my early morning schedule and a great way to start the day and connect yourself with nature. 

I dry off, warm up, and drive past Good Riddance Coffee in Kommetjie to grab a hot drink before heading home to drop off my board and get ready for the day. 

Around 9am, I head through to Cape Town for a breakfast meeting or to catch up with a friend. South Africa has been mostly open for business, contrary to international media reports. The situation is pretty much under control and cafes and bars are open - let’s hope they stay that way! It’s been really great to have that option to not work from home and make the most of the coffee shops and cafes around Cape Town. I base myself at our South Africa offices who we share with Robot, where I get to catch up with my old buddy and EP Liam Johnson. We share our morning stories over a ginger kombucha, talk motorbikes, babies, ideas, and bitcoin. There’s always a good vibe in the office and it’s been cool to spend some time there as we have collaborated on many projects together.

Around 11am, FAMILIA London springs to life as emails, calls, and meetings start coming through. I catch up with the team and we get stuck into what needs to be done. FAMILIA are, as our name suggests, a very tight knit team - despite me being halfway around the world and having two new staff members come on board, having never met everyone. I guess this is the new normal and remote working is here to stay, but it has taken some adjusting for both teams and individuals. 

As Partner and Creative Director at FAMILIA, I constantly need to be looking at how we are adapting and moving forward as a company. It has been a challenging time for us, especially without human contact and the general emotion of being present and sharing a moment or experience with a colleague. It’s tough. But I am really proud of how we have navigated this new landscape, as a team and as a company. We have big plans for FAMILIA in 2021, we’ve made some good changes and laid some strong foundations for the year ahead - we’re excited to keep creating and telling stories. 

Although I enjoy playing an active part in the running of FAMILIA, my focus is still on directing and I have been able to shoot some really cool projects whilst being ‘stuck’ in Cape Town. I have a big hard drive full of rushes, some epic scenes, and amazing performances ready to craft and create some films that I’m really excited about. Editors, hit me up! Joking. For one of the projects, we filmed up the West Coast on a dry salt pan. We had originally cast a ballet couple, but we decided to go with two circus performers instead. Their relationship with movement was just so different. They elevated the performance into a realm that was truly moving, and I can’t wait to bring it to life on screen. I also shot a film with some surfing in it, which was hard because the conditions and the waves were awesome that day, and I had to be on the beach! I suppose it’s not that bad, considering the rest of Europe is still in lockdown. 

One thing that’s been a welcomed creative outlet for me is my hat brand, Chopper Sherwood. If I get everything wrapped up with FAMILIA for the day, I try to give it as much of my free time as I can. The brand has been something I’ve been building through 2020; for me it’s like another blank canvas on which I can put my mark on. 

If I’m not shooting, I finish work around 6pm; I try to make a habit of keeping away from my phone - especially after being attached to my devices all day. I think it’s a result of being stuck inside throughout the pandemic; we’ve all developed unhealthy addictions to our phones. For a year it’s been our only window to the outside world, but the constant content and doomscrolling is going to mess with your head in the long term. Especially as a creative, somewhere like Instagram can have you constantly comparing your work and yourself to others. Things that wouldn’t have crossed your mind before now have you asking ‘what are they working on? How did they get that pitch? Why didn’t that script come our way!?’ and this is so heightened in an already mega-anxious time. I guess it swings both ways, because the web is also such a resourceful place to be inspired too. So it’s about finding that balance and going with what works for you and your wellbeing.

I try to end my day somewhere outdoors: a beach, a garden, a lookout or even a drive along Chapmans Peak. I know that I will be back in Europe soon so I make an effort to do something fun around sundown - always such a magical part of the day, especially on the tip of Africa! This daily ritual is a reminder that being ‘trapped’ here in South Africa has been such a blessing mentally and creatively; I feel extremely grateful to have been able to spend a few months out here.